BILL NUMBER:  AB 2325
  VETOED	DATE: 09/29/2014




To the Members of the California State Assembly:

Assembly Bill 2325 would require the Department of Health Care
Services to establish the CommuniCal program to certify and
restructure current interpreter services provided under Medi-Cal, and
afford certified interpreters collective bargaining rights.

Last year, I vetoed these same provisions because California had
embarked on an unprecedented expansion of our Medi-Cal program and I
did not believe it wise to introduce more complexity given the many
unknowns the state was facing. Since then, our challenges have
neither diminished in number or difficulty. We are still in the
throes of managing new enrollments, new renewals and expanding
provider networks.

In reconsidering this measure, however, it appears that this bill
contains more liabilities than were previously known. The provisions
governing collective bargaining go above and beyond what public
employees enjoy and potentially create new scopes of representation
and litigation.

To the extent that interpretation services under Medi-Cal are
insufficient, we should work together on appropriate cost-effective
initiatives to help patients in need. I'm weary at this time of
adding significant new costs to the Medi-Cal program when already in
the last two years Medi-Cal General Fund spending has grown almost
$2.5 billion.

Sincerely,



Edmund G. Brown Jr.